Decision time... Block swap??
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay
St. Jude Donor '06
Decision time... Block swap??
I have a '77 L48 with 80K miles that I have owned for about 10 years. I bought it from my uncle, who bought it new. Up til now, I have kept it in original condition to the point of taking home a few trophies. I got sick of the anemic performance, and sent it to my brother's shop for a little muscle. One thing has led to another, and my brother wants me to swap the block out for a 4 bolt main so he can build it stout. He says he will keep the original block for me in case I should ever want it. I know there are about 300,000 rubber bumper vettes rolling around, but I am having heartburn with this decision.. Any input would be appreciated.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i have no heart burn check out what i did....
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=960162
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=960162
Last edited by bobs77vet; Jun 3, 2005 at 10:53 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
i have no heart burn check out what i did....
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=960162
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=960162
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
turned out my original block was toast...it had frozen at one time and was filled with freeze cracks through out it.....funny thing was it ran ok and i drove it for 2 1/2 years like that with out a problem, the reality is your old engine will never go back in.....if you want why not just have your engine builder build your old engine up?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by MotorHead
BAg it up, put it in the corner and put in a motor that the car deserves 
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
turned out my original block was toast...it had frozen at one time and was filled with freeze cracks through out it.....funny thing was it ran ok and i drove it for 2 1/2 years like that with out a problem, the reality is your old engine will never go back in.....if you want why not just have your engine builder build your old engine up?
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by outrunm
The original engine is clean inside. I was starting to get a little start up smoke from valve seals, and that's it. The 2 bolt main will not hold up to the HP I want. This started as a simple rebuild and has morphed into my brother wanting to show off his skills. I have no problem with that, as I am the younger, easily influenced one.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by WhichVette?
You only live once. Go for it...
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by outrunm
Next question.... He has a set of double hump heads that he is trying to talk me into versus the Dart Pro 1 or Iron Eagle heads. He says he can make these flow just fine. I am thinking that this is old technology, and he is full of crap, but I like the vintage aspect of it. I could care less if they were cast iron or aluminum.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
i have fuelie heads on mine, are these the large valve or the small valve heads? mine work fine although how can you argue those two heads you mentioned?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by WhichVette?
If it's brother's idea, go for it. Then you have someone to blame besides yourself if it doesn't make as much power as expected...
Pro
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 669
Likes: 80
From: NE USA
The way I see it, 15 years from now the difference in value of your car will be higher if the numbers matching block is with the car (installed or not), and the value will be lower if the origional block does not exist. Now. make the car run like it looks.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 535
Likes: 1
From: Darwin, Australia NT
Originally Posted by outrunm
He has me drooling and shopping for half shaft loops. He wants to send me home with 500HP. I told him initially that I wanted to flirt with 300.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: portland TN
You could build up the stock block, just use billet splayed caps installed in place of the two bolt caps. Not a cheap option. It cost me roughly 600 to do this, but its way stonger the a four bolt and no one would know the differnence.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,449
Likes: 1,477
From: Little Rock AR
If I were you, I would get an ARP main stud kit, some Dart IE heads and a 383 stroker kit. That is sure to get the job done and keep the original block in the car (and out of the corner of the garage for the next 15 years). You will not be imbarrased by that combo. 
-Mark.
-Mark.
